The northwestern province of Guanacaste continues to be the top choice for vacation destinations for Costa Rican tourists, based on a survey by the National Tourism Chamber (Canatur) of 104 hotels across the country.
During mid-year vacations, which ended over the weekend, Guanacaste hotels registered the country’s highest occupancy rates for domestic tourism. Southern Guanacaste hotels reported an estimated 78 percent occupancy, and hotels in the north of the province reported 62 percent occupancy rates.
The northern Caribbean region registered the lowest numbers for domestic tourism over the break, booking only 14 percent of Costa Rican tourists.
Ticos continue to show their interest in beach vacations, as these destinations reported the highest activity with 60.3 percent occupation.
Domestic tourists also accounted for 44.5 percent of total occupancy in the country, which meets expectations raised by hotel owners for the two weeks of the mid-year break.
The survey determined overall occupancy rates during a period from June 29 to July 15. Costa Rica’s total occupancy rates closed with an average of 63.57 percent, the highest in the last three years, according to Canatur figures.
Occupation by Region
| Region | Occupation % |
| Guanacaste (South) | 78.0% |
| Guanacaste (North) | 62.0% |
| Puntarenas & Islands | 61.0% |
| Pacific (South) | 56.0% |
| Pacific (Central) | 47.6% |
| Monteverde | 45.8% |
| Caribbean (South) | 33.3% |
| North | 27.3% |
| Central Valley | 20.3% |
| Caribbean (North) | 14.0% |
Source: Poll by CANATUR
